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S. RIEPLER. BALANCE ESGAPEMENT. No. 443,684. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

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' S. RIEFLER. BALANCE BfiUAPEMENT Patented Dec. 30,1890.

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s. RIEPLER. BALANCE ESUAPEMENT.

N0.443,684. PatentedDeo. so, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGISUUND RIEFLER, OF MUNICH, BAVARIA, GERMANY.

BALANCE-ESCAPEM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 443,684, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed May 6, 1889. Serial No. 309,752. (No model.) Patented in England April 23, 1889, No. 6,809; in Belgium April 30,1889,No.85,905; in Switzerland May 7,1889, No. 860; in France June 20,1889, No. 197,637, andin Germany February 12, 1890,1T0. 50,739.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, SIGISMUND RIEFLER, of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented an Improved Chronometer-Escapement, (for which I have obtained the following patents: in France, No. 197,637, dated June 20, 1889; in England, No. 6,809, dated April 23, 1889; in Belgium, No. 85,905, dated April 30, 1889; in Switzerland, No. 850, dated May 7, 1889, and in Germany, No. 50,739, dated February 12, 1890,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved chronometer-escapement with a free balance; and the invention consists in the various features of improvement more fully pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l 1s a side View of my improved escapement. Figs. 1 and 1 are top views thereof; Fig. 1, a detail of pallet S. Fig. 2 is a detail of a modified tooth. Figs. 3, 4,, and 5 represent modifications of the escapement. Figs. 6 and (3 are plans of Fig. 5.

In the balances heretofore known the transmission of power from the wheel-train to the balance was effected by the escapement-wheel givlng impulse to a small lever fulcrumed to the balance-axis, the impulse being either direct or indirect. IV hen the balance has left lts resting position, the spiral spring has a certain tension. which increases with the amplitude of the arc of oscillation. If this tension is augmented at the propermoment, a supply of power results. The result is obtained by having one end of the spiral spring not firmly secured, as heretofore, but arranged movably. The task of the wheel-train will then consistin moving to and fro at the proper moment the end of the spiral spring at each balance-vibration. This effect is obtained in different manners, according to the various constructions of watches and clocks.

In Figs. 1 and 1 the letter (t represents the balance-arbor. .Below the same and in line therewith is an arbor a of a star-shaped wheel or lever B, having three arms. To one arm is secured by means of block K one end of a hair-spring P. The other arms of lever B carry upwardly-projecting impulse and detent pallets S S. These pallets are of cylindrical form and are beveled off at their upper end, as shown in Fig. 1. The impulse acts on the cylindrical surface. The level surface acts as a detent. The arbor f of the wheel-train carries a lift-wheel H, and slightly above it an escapement-wheel R. The teeth h 71/2 h3 of the former give the impulses, while the teeth 0* r 1' of the latter cause the rest with their radial surfaces. (These teeth can also be slightly undercut.)

The escapement acts as follows: If the balance-wheel U moves from rest in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the hair-spring moves the lever B in the same direction until the pallet 8 places itself against the lift-surface h of the wheel H. At this moment the pallet S leaves the tooth r of the escapementwheel R, and the wheels R H turn in the direction of the arrow. The tooth h then causes the lift by pressing back the pallet S, moving thereby the lever B in a direction contrary to that of the arrow and increasing in this manner the tension of the hair-spring. The balance then swings completely forward. At its return the second disengagement takes place at the moment the balance traverses the rest position in a direction contrary to the arrow-that is, the pallet S leaves the tooth 0*, which has in the meantime advanced, and the tooth it causes the lifting of the pallet S. (See Fig. 1 dotted line.) This movement is repeated at each to-and-fro motion of the balance.

Besides the two wheels H and R, a third wheel E is secured to the arbor f. This wheel moves a flying pinion W. The play of the escapement therefore takes place without any shock and the escapement-teeth touch the pillow very softly. The resistance of the disengagement can be altered at will by turning correspondingly the pallets S and S in their sockets. The pallets can be brought to zero without danger of an untimely disengagement, as the hair-spring always presses the pallets with its whole periodical tensionpower against the liftwvheel.

Instead of the two wheels H and R, a single wheel may be used, the lift and the rest teeth of which are placed in. dill'erentlevels, Fig. 2. For some purposes (traveling clocks and the like) it would suffice to use one wheel the teeth of which are situated on one level, and to keep the pallets cylindrical in their whole length. The teeth have then the shape rep resented in Fig. 2-3. The cylindrical pallets may also be beveled off for about one-fifth of their diameter, Fig. 4, so that the resistance of the disengagement: may be regulated in a simple manner.

Instead of the cylii'idrical pallets S (5, small rollers may be used to transform the sliding friction into a friction of gudgeons. Itisadvisable in this case to arrange the detent-pallets between the two rollers so that they inclose less teeth than the rollers. Satisfactory results would also be obtained by the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 6. The two pallets S S of the star-shaped lever 3' are here solely restbloeks upon which lies the rest-lever It.

The lifting is not effected by a wheel, but by an untrue rotary body, such as a crank or eccentric on the last arbor f" 01 the wheeltrain. This eccentric engages a fork g, which is securely fixed upon the arbor of the lever B.

The eseapement acts as follows: If the balance is moved from the resting position in the direction of the arrow 1), Fig. 6, the inner fork-wall g touches the eccentric. At the same moment the rest-lever R becomes free, the shaft, with the eccentric, makes a haltre\'olution,until the rest-leverlt' lies upon pallet Si Fig. 6. The bent axishas here moved the fork in a direction opposite to that of the arrow 1/, and has thus caused the additional tension of the spring. Vith this construction the use of a flying pinion is also recommended.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a balance-escapement, the combination of wheel U with the hair-spring P and with the lever B, the ends of spring P being respectively secured to the wheel U and lever B. substantially as specified.

2. The combination of wheel U with spring 1 and with the level-B, see-u red to said spring, and with the impulse and detent pallets projecting upward from lever B, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of wheel U and spring I with lever 13, having pallets S S, and with the wheels ll 1%, engaged by said pallets, sub stantially as specified.

i. The combination of wheel if withspring I, lever 13, having pallets b S, and with a wheel engaged by said pallets, and with wheel E, having ilying pinion W, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

S. lillfilililfilt. lYitnesses:

AUcIo Return, '1. F. THAIHL. 

